10 years deserves a trip!

We started talking about our 10 year anniversary last year. We knew we’d have a 7 month old baby, but still wanted to go somewhere. Somewhere tropical. Pretty soon a few different events and things started falling into place, and instead of somewhere tropical we started planning our trip to New England. I started pumping every night before bed when Tessa was about 3 months and sleeping through the night (love that baby!) and by the time August rolled around I had almost 200 ounces of milk stored in the freezer. Based on how much she takes everyday, that was enough for me to gone for 2 weeks! Alas, I was only away from her for 8. :)

My parents drove up from Texas to stay with the girls while we left. My kids always have a blast with them and I knew they’d be in good hands while we were away. In fact, instead of sticking around here while we were gone, they actually packed up the minivan and drove them all to PA to see my dad’s parents and siblings. Everyone had a great time over there and from what I understand behaved and slept well. Always the two unknown variables when traveling!

Derrick and I spent a lot of time researching places to stay and things to do, and looking back, I think we did a great job. We had so much fun together seeing new things and eating good food and just being together.

I think I gotta break this up into 3 parts: Maine, Vermont, and New York.

We left on a Tuesday night, flying into Portland, ME. Our flight was delayed, getting us into Portland around midnight. We got the rental car and headed to the Travelodge for the night. The next morning we headed out and made our way up towards Bar Harbor where we would stay Wednesday night.

At the airport getting ready to go!!

We stopped in Freeport where there are a ton of outlets, as well as the LL Bean Flagship store. So we stopped and looked around and of course got a picture in front of the giant Bean Boot!

We finally made the 3 hour drive up to Bar Harbor and headed straight for a bus tour of Acadia National Park, since our hotel room wasn’t quite ready yet. There were two tour companies in Bar Harbor and we went with Acadia National Park Tours. It was awesome. Roger, the owner of the company, was our driver and guide, and had so many cool stories and interesting things to point out. He got a little overly-political about a few things, which might bother some people, but they were pretty much in line with our beliefs so we didn’t mind as much. Still, kinda awkward. By the end we were talking like true Mainers. Baa Haabaa! Acadia National Park was gorgeous, and the rocky coastlines and tiny islands dotting the coasts were as beautiful as I was hoping it’d be.

I don’t know if you can tell in this picture, but the rocks along the beach are called popple rocks, and they are so big and so round—super cool looking. They used to be big boulders and eventually they will be grains of sand. You know, in like a million years. I love the contrast of the ocean, cliffs, and trees. So beautiful. These big stones are called Rockefeller’s Teeth, and act as guardrails along the roadside. Rockefeller financed and directed the construction of miles and miles of carriage roads, and wanted these put in for safety. There’s like 2000 of them in the park. At the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern seaboard. We stopped at the Jordan Pond House, a restaurant within the park, and famous for their popovers. We got out and checked out the view and bought a blueberry soda. Did you know Maine is famous for their wild blueberries? The soda was really good, and had a hint of grape. Tasty. Apparently only our driver Roger and a Rockefeller grandson are the only two people the restaurant will let take popovers to go. So we got to taste one! It was delicious. At the top of Cadillac Mountain, Roger showed us some wild blueberry and mountain cranberry bushes and we got to pick and eat some. That was probably one of my favorite parts. The blueberries were delicious. We ate so many!

After the tour we were starving but still needed to check into our hotel. They tell us our room is hard to find and that we should find a bellhop to show us the way. No way Derrick was tipping a bellhop so we try and find it ourselves. After looking and not finding room number 2, we go back to the front desk and ask for help. The first bellhop has no idea where room 2 is. This is getting kind of weird. Finally we find someone who knows and tells our first bellhop where it is. He leads the way, and we are following him, still lugging our bags. Um…no tip for you, buddy! He leads us to the club next door and up the stairs to a GIANT SUITE! A full living room, full kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. Sweet!! They did hear my shameless pleas for a good deal when I booked our room a few weeks again and mentioned it was our anniversary! We’re standing around gawking at our room when there’s a knock at our door. There’s another bellhop with a tray and a bottle of champagne and blueberry pie and a sweet note. Double bonus! Loving Baa Haabaa more and more every minute!View from the back of our hotel.

I wanted a really good lobster roll and after reading a lot of reviews settled on The Thirsty Whale. Their clam chowder was the best I have ever had. I could have eaten a gallon of it. The lobster roll was delicious as well. Man, getting hungry just thinking about it again!

After dinner we walked around the little town of Bar Harbor and around Frenchman Bay. We saw the sunset, tried some lobster ice cream (interesting!) and some blueberry fudge, and headed back to our room. I mean house.

The next day we went to 2 Cats for breakfast. I got lobster egg benedict. Holy delicious. I could pretty much live on lobster I’ve decided.         We walked around the bay and got a few more pictures before we checked out and headed out towards Vermont. 

I totally fell in love with Bar Harbor, and Maine. I really hope to make it back there again sometime before I die. Just for the clam chowder. And to see a Moose. There were moose crossing signs ALL over Maine, but we didn’t see a single one. So sad.

I leave you with this little gem we saw on the way into Bar Harbor. Now that’s a hard decision to make! :)